Does Califonia need 3 times as many Senators?

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couchmaster

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 12, 2018 - 07:12pm PT

It's going to be on the ballot. http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-split-three-states-20180612-story.html

Last time was West Virginia when some state got so pissed off they split from the state they were part of. The republicans, just formed to get rid of slavery and a bunch of rabble rousers, supported the move due to the civil war. It will be interesting to watch this go round.

opps, I'd like to buy an R Alex.....
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 12, 2018 - 07:48pm PT
Let me see Wyoming pop. 580,000 and California pop. 39,500,000 both have two Senators...seems wrong to me,
skywalker1

Trad climber
co
Jun 12, 2018 - 08:41pm PT
Isn't 2 per state the purpose? Even voice so Wyoming doesn't get steam rolled by Cali or Delaware doesn't get steam rolled by Pennsylvania? House of Rep different as to give everyone a rep but in equally small tribes say, so more Reps. No? The latter has become a bit weird now because of "gerry mandering".

S.....

Edit: My bust I see what is being proposed. Godspeed.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 12, 2018 - 08:43pm PT
It was the purpose in 1787 and made some sense then...same for the second amendment...both need further amending to work in today’s world.
looks easy from here

climber
Ben Lomond, CA
Jun 12, 2018 - 08:48pm PT
Isn't 2 per state the purpose?
Yes, but the proposal is to break California into 3 states, not just to increase its representation in the Senate.
Bruce Morris

Trad climber
Soulsbyville, California
Jun 12, 2018 - 11:44pm PT
Sounds like a pipe dream like the so-called 'State of Jefferson' movement with just as much a chance of being enacted.
Robb

Social climber
Cat Box
Jun 13, 2018 - 12:13am PT
Good grief! You guys DO understand how our government is constructed to operate, right?
skywalker1

Trad climber
co
Jun 13, 2018 - 12:36am PT
^^^ Yes from a high school civics class that didn't have the funding for a textbook. ;-)



S...
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Jun 13, 2018 - 04:43am PT
That would totally mess up our awesome flag.
Gunkie

Trad climber
Valles Marineris
Jun 13, 2018 - 05:22am PT
California needs about 4x the number of electoral college votes to match Montana on a per capita basis.
Keith Reed

climber
Johnson county TX
Jun 13, 2018 - 08:12am PT
No.
And don’t spilt into 3. The last dude that was running the division of California moved back to Russia. Not kidding.

A better plan would be to add seats to the House of Representatives so that states with larger populations have more representation.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Jun 13, 2018 - 09:10am PT
I think there would be much more responsive and representative governments if they drew the 3 state boundaries differently:
1. SF and silicon valley (possibly north to Santa Rosa and South to Hollister but not Salinas, and maybe east as far as Tracy)
2. LA Basin and San Diego
3. Everything else


Then you address the problems of city-centric vs rural-centric values, and could have more representative state governments for gun laws, abortion, social assistance programs, etc. It could get nasty with inter-state ownership of water rights and new laws that assess taxes and fees on water transferring out of state. That would probably become an issue with the proposed divisions anyways.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jun 13, 2018 - 09:32am PT
Let me see Wyoming pop. 580,000 and California pop. 39,500,000 both have two Senators...seems wrong to me,

If the US as a whole want to apportion Senate seats by population, as we do in the House, I'm 100% for it.

The whole purpose of a bicameral legislature is to see that differing interests are fairly represented. Each state gets two senators so that each state can work equally for it's own interests. The House represents the people, which is why it has the power of the purse. If we apportion Senators the same way we apportion Representatives we might just as well do away with the Senate. What, after all, would be its purpose?

To say that it's unfair for bigger and smaller states to have the same number of Senators is to totally not get it.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jun 13, 2018 - 10:29am PT
This little PBS "Crash Course" is obviously meant as a teaching tool for a young audience, but it is a pretty clear explanation of why Congress is structured the way it is. It's a worthwhile 8 mins.

https://www.pbs.org/video/crash-course-government-2/
Brandon-

climber
The Granite State.
Jun 13, 2018 - 10:30am PT
They provide all the food for the world and all the technology.

Now now, you know what they say about exaggerating.
Splater

climber
Grey Matter
Jun 13, 2018 - 12:02pm PT
I think it should be divided into 80 states so we have the same federal representation as Wyoming.


However it may be divided, it should be into equal populations (which eliminates the state of "Jefferson), and gerrymandered to be as blue as possible.

Also, the following should be combined into one state: Montana, WY, ID, NV, SD, ND, UT, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jun 13, 2018 - 12:32pm PT
Everybody here is so much wiser than the Founding Fathers.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jun 13, 2018 - 12:39pm PT
Everybody here is so much wiser than the Founding Fathers.

Not me. That's why I think we have the best founding documents in history.
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Jun 13, 2018 - 12:50pm PT
Yes, but the proposal is to break California into 3 states, not just to increase its representation in the Senate.

That actually makes sense given the diversity and population.
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
Jun 13, 2018 - 01:02pm PT
Yes, but the proposal is to break California into 3 states, not just to increase its representation in the Senate.

correct.

what idiot came up with those boundaries?

Edit: no cal, as proposed would be ok. central cal would extend to the Tehachapis, and everything south of there would be so cal.
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Jun 13, 2018 - 06:08pm PT
the "southern california" is gerrymandered to be a GOP stronghold

Huh? SoCal is owned by the dems.

edit: can't say I know who represents Cali in the senate though. Is that aged dog Diane Feinstien still a senator?
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Jun 13, 2018 - 07:54pm PT
Wait... I got it...

Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Jun 13, 2018 - 09:51pm PT
I'm all for repealing the 17th Amendment, and going back to having state legislatures choose the senators.

We tried electing senators by popular vote, and it doesn't work.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Jun 14, 2018 - 07:49am PT
Chaz, I’m curious why you think that would be better. Is there a logical framework for it or is it mainly because the popular vote consistently outweighs what you want?
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Jun 14, 2018 - 07:55am PT
It was good enough for Lincoln-Douglass. Neither of those guys were on a ballot after their debates.
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
Jun 14, 2018 - 03:59pm PT
Countries, 1000 years and a developing world... but seemed sort of relevant...our lifetime is barely a blip on the radar when you start looking more macro.

[Click to View YouTube Video]
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Jun 14, 2018 - 06:38pm PT
All of us rural folks would be screwed without big city tax dollars.

Could we pave roads? Fight wildland fire? Pay for teachers? How about the fish in the lakes and rivers? The highway, down Main Street, who pays? What will our minimum wage be? What happens to our DMV? Who administers our Medi-Cal? Does the money go up or down?

What's the point of this ballot initiative?
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jun 14, 2018 - 07:06pm PT
I'm all for repealing the 17th Amendment, and going back to having state legislatures choose the senators.

I've never understood how the States could have ratified the 17th. The single greatest blow to State's rights in our history.
johntp

Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
Jun 14, 2018 - 07:52pm PT
Huh? Have you actually looked at the map of the proposed split?

Have you? California's current U.S. Senators are Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris. The mayors of LA and SF are extreme dems. My guess is that if Cali splits all 6 senators would be dems.

Kevin McCarthy, Devin Nunes, Paul Cook, Dana Rorabacher, Darrell Issa, Duncan Hunter, Ken Calvert, and Mimi Walters - all GOP off the top of my head.

That is a mere handfull of those that hold public office in Cali.
WBraun

climber
Jun 14, 2018 - 08:03pm PT
You st00pid politards can have 200 senators and still can't do anything right.

You're all brainwashed runaway trainwrecks and so are your st00pid politics ....
johntp

Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
Jun 14, 2018 - 08:46pm PT
You st00pid politards can have 200 senators and still can't do anything right.

You're all brainwashed runaway trainwrecks and so are your st00pid politics ....

Werner for quote of the day. I knew I should't have stepped into this steaming pile.
August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Jun 14, 2018 - 09:24pm PT
John

I looked at a couple of maps that show house seats as solid Democrats or Republicans or leaning D/R. And compared it to the three way split. It looks decidedly Republican.
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
Jun 14, 2018 - 09:41pm PT
All of us rural folks would be screwed without big city tax dollars.

Could we pave roads? Fight wildland fire? Pay for teachers? How about the fish in the lakes and rivers? The highway, down Main Street, who pays? What will our minimum wage be? What happens to our DMV? Who administers our Medi-Cal? Does the money go up or down?

I have a conservative friend who says you rural folks could withhold water from the big cities. dumb, I know.
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Jun 14, 2018 - 10:04pm PT
Withold water? The state owns the water. Which state would then own the water? What would happen to water rights under state law?

Witholding water, would be direct action at this point. I mean protests and possibly armed rebellion. Does your friend mean this or is he talking out of his rear end?

This all seems to me to be a bunch of big talk and no real discussion of the actual problems caused by the split. In this modern world, it could pass. Big talking nonsense polls well these days.
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Jun 14, 2018 - 10:25pm PT
The "withholding water" scheme isn't a plan. It's an argument to demonstrate the stupidity of the "rural folks would be screwed without big city tax dollars" statement.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 15, 2018 - 09:30am PT
Water rights are one thing...water avaiable another. California has a problem that can only worsen.
California’s statewide annual percipitation is 21.44 inches compared to a national average of 30.21.
That should be a bit ominous for a state with 39.5 million people but then add agriculture.
California produce receipts in agriculture that were 20 billion dollars more than any other state.
Consider that 80% of the water used in California is used for agriculture and you see the true scope of the problem.
Ground water is being used far more then it is being replenished,,,,then what?
Gary

Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Jun 15, 2018 - 10:06am PT
Escape the jack booted tyranny of the libtards who soak us with tax bills to pay for lavender and paisley

..and county relief checks.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 15, 2018 - 10:07am PT
the current consumption of water in California is unsustainable

Agriculture is 1% of the California economy. A case can be made that certain types of farming are becoming obsolete. subsidizing stupid crops with cheap water is poor policy

Ground water is being used far more then it is being replenished,,,,then what?

Reducing use by raising prices
Desalinization with renewable energy

http://www.carlsbaddesal.com/

The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant is the largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient seawater desalination plant in the nation. Each day, the plant delivers nearly 50 million gallons (56,000 acre-feet per year (AFY)) of fresh, desalinated water to San Diego County – enough to serve approximately 400,000 people
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 15, 2018 - 11:09am PT
If each user paid the FMV of the water they were using then the market would take care of itself. Corruption and influence stop that from happening. Policy is not set with the greater pubic good in mind, policy is set to benefit the most powerful constituents.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 15, 2018 - 11:40am PT
Right on Dingus...I no longer drink almond milk, went back to soy.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 15, 2018 - 11:57am PT
Water rights are a property interest, however that property interest does not include the actual water.

In 1928, the California Constitution was amended making the exercise of all water rights (both surface and groundwater) subject to a paramount limitation of reasonable and beneficial use. This amendment did not affect priorities as among different users and classes of users, but simply put a cap on the right of any user to that amount of water which
can be applied to reasonable, beneficial use.

http://aic.ucdavis.edu/events/outlook05/Sawyer_primer.pdf

Regardless of the nature of the water right in question, two very important principles will always apply. First, under the California Constitution, water must be put to reasonable and beneficial use. No water right grants any party the right to waste or make an reasonable use of water, and any water right can be curtailed or revoked if it is determined that the holder of that right has engaged in a wasteful or unreasonable use of water.

Second, no water user in the State "owns" any water. Instead, a water right grants the holder thereof only the right to use water (called a "usufructuary right"). The owner of "legal title" to all water is the State in its capacity as a trustee for the benefit of the public. The so-called "public trust doctrine" requires the State, as a trustee, to manage its public trust resources (including water) so as to derive the maximum benefit for its citizenry. The benefits to be considered and balanced include economic, recreational, aesthetic and environmental; if at any time the trustee determines that a use of water other than the then current use would better serve the public trust, the State has the power and the obligation to reallocate that water in accordance with the public's interest. Even if the water at issue has been put to beneficial use (and relied upon) for decades, it can be taken from one user in favor of another need or use. The public trust doctrine therefore means that no water rights in California are truly "vested" in the traditional sense of property rights

The biggest cash crop in CA is pot. It uses as much water as almonds.
ManMountain

Mountain climber
San Diego
Jun 15, 2018 - 12:05pm PT
California, the most populous state in the United States and third largest in area after Alaska and Texas, has been the subject of more than 220 proposals to divide it into multiple states since its admission to the United States in 1850, including at least 27 significant proposals in the first 150 years of statehood.

Rest assured this is much ado about nothing.
August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Jun 15, 2018 - 01:19pm PT
Don't buy almonds or grapes or anything made from them, or be part of the problem and not the solution.

As soon as Trump gets this trade war thingy up and running with China, the EU, and Canada/Mexico, California's almond and grape exports will collapse leaving plenty for us native consumers.

Thanks Trump!
August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Jun 16, 2018 - 03:14pm PT
agriculture can be seen as exporting a portion of your water supply...

Absolutely. And I would rather export a portion of CA's water supply by growing fruits and vegetables than evapotranspirate CA's water by growing lawns and golf courses.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Jun 16, 2018 - 03:22pm PT
Add home swimming pools. How often do you see people in them? People build them in warm, sunny climates where evaporation is high.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 16, 2018 - 04:53pm PT
Installing a swimming pool is one of the most environmentally destructive things a homeowner can do. 20% of the energy used in California goes to water uses, pumping, filtering etc. That is a lot of energy, mostly fossil fuels

Concrete has a high carbon footprint. Lots of concrete in a pool.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_concrete

Carbon dioxide emissions and climate change
The concrete industry is one of two largest producers of carbon dioxide (CO2), creating up to 5% of worldwide man-made emissions of this gas, of which 50% is from the chemical process and 40% from burning fuel.[1] The carbon dioxide CO2 produced for the manufacture of structural concrete (using ~14% cement) is estimated at 410 kg/m3 (~180 kg/tonne @ density of 2.3 g/cm3) (reduced to 290 kg/m3 with 30% fly ash replacement of cement).[3] The CO2 emission from the concrete production is directly proportional to the cement content used in the concrete mix; 900 kg of CO2 are emitted for the fabrication of every ton of cement, accounting for 88% of the emissions associated with the average concrete mix.[4][5] Cement manufacture contributes greenhouse gases both directly through the production of carbon dioxide when calcium carbonate is thermally decomposed, producing lime and carbon dioxide,[6] and also through the use of energy, particularly from the combustion of fossil fuels.

One area of the concrete life cycle worth noting is the fact that concrete has a very low embodied energy relative to the quantity that is used. This is primarily the result of the fact that the materials used in concrete construction, such as aggregates, pozzolans, and water, are relatively plentiful and can often be drawn from local sources.[7] This means that transportation only accounts for 7% of the embodied energy of concrete, while the cement production accounts for 70%. With a total embodied energy of 1.69 GJ/tonne concrete is lower than any other building material besides wood. It is worth noting that this value is based on mix proportions for concrete of no more than 20% fly ash. It is estimated that one percent replacement of cement with fly ash represents a .7% reduction in energy consumption. With some proposed mixes containing as much as 80% fly ash, this would represent a considerable energy savings.[5]
10b4me

Social climber
Lida Junction
Jun 16, 2018 - 08:50pm PT
Well that entirely depends on which water you're talking about. Water rights are extremely complicated but at the end of the day the water rights holders own the water (represented by their rights to it).

In that respect the state does not own the water and then determine how to dole it out. It's the exact opposite in fact, the state tries mightily to corral unruly water rights holders into some semblance of a state water policy... mostly unsuccessfully.

The state does own some of the conveyance however, state water project canals, for example. That is but a piece of the whole puzzle however.

Splitting the state into three wouldn't alter the water rights situation one iota as far as I can tell. I'm open to other opinions though! :)

DMT, I think what my friend is saying is that the new state would refuse to sell the water rights. Especially if that water was destined for the big city liberals.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 16, 2018 - 09:03pm PT
Since the state has the final say on how the water is ultimately distributed, dividing the state into 3 sovereign bodies would be a nightmare. If you think water is politicized now, imagine it x3. Same for ever other agency in the state.
johntp

Trad climber
Little Rock and Loving It
Jun 16, 2018 - 11:00pm PT
ohn

I looked at a couple of maps that show house seats as solid Democrats or Republicans or leaning D/R. And compared it to the three way split. It looks decidedly Republican.

August, I really didn't know that. Thanks. For what it's worth I tend towards fiscal conservatism and social liberty. Walking a fine line with this point of perspective. I pretty much stay out of politics as it seems like a train wreck that no one can stop. Gears are greased, monetary fires are fully stoked.

I have no control over the political wheel so just figure it is a st00pid fact of life that morons are deciding our fate.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jun 17, 2018 - 07:29am PT
Again, gerrymandering. An attempt by the right to decapitate the left!
If this were to happen it would be Trumps all the way down. Would we be spending yen, or rubles?
August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Jun 17, 2018 - 12:01pm PT
Since the state has the final say on how the water is ultimately distributed, dividing the state into 3 sovereign bodies would be a nightmare. If you think water is politicized now, imagine it x3. Same for ever other agency in the state.

Getting a divorce would be a nightmare for everyone but lawyers. Besides water rights CA has lots of assets, lots of liabilities/pension obligations, and lots of other things that would have to divvied up.

Figuring out water rights would be like trying to decide who gets the family pets. Not trivial but only one issue among, many, many issues.
August West

Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
Jun 17, 2018 - 12:03pm PT
If this were to happen it would be Trumps all the way down. Would we be spending yen, or rubles?

.

Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jun 17, 2018 - 12:24pm PT
Haha, yeah, carving up the pensions would be a real trick. The whole scheme is a anotherright wing Jerry mandering project.
Messages 1 - 53 of total 53 in this topic
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